American College of Cardiology Launches PINNACLE-AF Outpatient Registry

October 24, 2011 – The American College of Cardiology (ACC) announced it is expanding its outpatient PINNACLE Registry with a new platform focusing on atrial fibrillation (AF), including the next generation of anticoagulants.

 The new platform, PINNACLE-AF, will operate within the existing PINNACLE Registry.  The PINNACLE Registry is the largest cardiovascular outpatient database in the United States and is part of the ACC’s National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR). NCDR is the most comprehensive, outcomes-based cardiovascular patient data registry for quality improvement in the United States.

“The expansion of the PINNACLE Registry is coming at a time when new treatments for atrial fibrillation are coming online,” said Jack Lewin, M.D., CEO of the American College of Cardiology. “In this context of innovation, PINNACLE can provide a means to monitor practice pattern changes over time while we rigorously assess current practice patterns and help providers evaluate and improve adherence to established guidelines and performance measures. The expansion will also provide a deeper data repository for future research and innovation.”

PINNACLE currently has 2.1 million patient records representing valid patient encounters from hundreds of outpatient practices nationwide. Of those patients, over 100,000 have atrial fibrillation. Participation in the registry is free to all cardiology practices.

Atrial fibrillation is a cardiac rhythm disorder in which the upper chambers of the heart, the atria, beat irregularly and out of sync with the two lower chambers. Symptoms include an irregular or rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, and weakness.  While AF itself is not commonly fatal, it often is associated with increased risks of death and stroke. 

For more information: www.PINNACLEregistry.org